1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sunshade driving device, such as a blind or a louver. Particularly, a wheel driving member of the sunshade driving device has a returning function to go back its original position, immediately after driving. Preferably, the sunshade driving device having the returning function of the wheel driving member driven by a manual/electric combined driving module. Additionally, a gear ratio of the planetary gear train is utilized for the returning function of the sunshade driving device.
The present invention also relates to a screen rotation rod of the roll/combination/triple blind (hereinafter refer to “rotating shaft”). The angle adjustment of the slat of the Venetian/Roman Shades/Honeycomb blind or the rotation rod for winding (refer to same as “rotating shaft”), and the rotating shaft of the vertical blind (refer to same as “rotating shaft”) is manually driving a ball chain or a rotating string by hand-pulling (hereinafter both referring to “manual line”) to securely transmit and easy to maintenance. The manual/electrical combined driving module is adapted for the returning function of the wheel driving member of the sunshade driving device.
2. Related Prior Art
Generally, a blind is installed on a window frame to selectively admit the sun-light through the window. According to the window structure, a length of the slats is arranged in the horizontal direction for operating up and down direction to selectively admit the sun-light, such as the venetian blind. The slats of the vertical blind are arranged in the vertical direction and operating the right and left directions to selectively admit the sun-light. The roll blind, which is winding the screen sheet, is moving up and down directions to selectively admit the sun-light, such as a roll type blind.
FIGS. 1A to 1D are an exploded perspective view and a cross-sectional view showing a typical roll blind of a kind of conventional roll type sunshade, FIG. 1E is an assembled cross-sectional view showing a typical roll blind of a kind of conventional roll type sunshade, and FIGS. 2A to 2D illustrate a typical Venetian Blind, which is a kind of the conventional slat type sunshade. That is, FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view showing a typical roll blind of a kind of conventional roll type sunshade, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view according to the line 1B-1B in FIG. 1A, FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view according to the line 10-10 in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1D is an exploded perspective view of a roll sunshade input driving module. FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing a typical Venetian Blind, FIG. 2B is a plan view of FIG. 2A, FIG. 2C is a partial detail of FIG. 2B, and FIG. 2D is an exploded perspective view of a slat input driving module.
First of all, as shown in FIG. 1A, a head rail (10) of the roll blind is installed to the upper window frame, which is a kind of the conventional roll type sunshade; a roll screen (20) disposed on the lower side of the head rail (10), and an input driving module (40) for the roll sunshade is inserted to one end of the head rail (10), and supported the roll screen (20) rotatable; a pair of plugs (50) is for closing the opposite ends of the roll sunshade; as shown in FIG. 1B, the roll screen (20) has a screen sheet (22) including a fastening member (25); a protruding jaw is formed in the longitudinal direction of inner circumferential surface, a screen sheet fastener (24) is formed on an outer peripheral surface, a sunshade rotating shaft (23) made of a rod (tube) with a hollow inside is used as a rotation power shaft for winding the screen sheet as a roll (21); an input drive module (40) for sunshade driving is inserted to one end of the roll (21); the opposite ends of the rod are blocked by the plugs (50); as shown in FIG. 1A, an anti-deflection reinforcing member as the fastening member (25) is included to the inside of the sunshade rotating shaft (23) by considering the weight of the long width screen sheet (22); typically, the sunshade rotating shaft (23) is used for combination of the roll type sunshade drive-rotating shaft and the taking-up winding that is a very economical structure; the tube shaft is produced through the injection molding using an aluminum or plastic material, and the hollow shaft (tube) is used for lowering the manufacturing cost. A coupler (26) is for coupling the sunshade rotating shaft (23) in FIG. 10 and a pick-up member (44) (as shown in FIG. 1D) of the input drive module (40) in FIG. 1A.
Such a conventional roll blind, the user manually operates the roll sunshade input-driving module (40). Eventually, the roll (21) is operated by the ball chain (30) or rotating string (not shown). Alternatively, the electric motor (not shown) is rotating the sunshade rotating shaft (23) by using electric power. The screen sheet (22) of the roll screen (20) is selectively winding up or down for shading or admitting the sunlight.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 1D, the roll sunshade input driving module (40) (hereinafter “first conventional manual drive module”) has a first conventional sunshade stopper (41) formed an engaging portion (45) and inserted to a first conventional spring member (42); a manual pulley operated by a ball chain (30) or rotating string (not shown), and the locking portion (45) of the first conventional spring member (42) push the spring body to the opening direction for releasing the friction force between the first conventional sunshade stopper (41) and the first conventional spring member (42) to drive the wheel driving tube shaft (47); the wheel driving tube shaft (47) is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the first conventional sunshade stopper (41); the protruding jaw (48) is formed for fitting the outer peripheral surface to the screen sheet fastener (24) of the sunshade rotating shaft (23); the inner circumferential surface is coupled to the wheel driving unit (43) and the first conventional sunshade stopper (41); a first conventional pick-up member (44) formed a braking projection (not shown) activates that the spring body of the first conventional spring member (42) is pushed to be narrowed direction for increasing the friction force between the first conventional sunshade stopper (41) and the first conventional spring member (42) to brake; a user pulls the ball chain (30) or a rotating string (not shown) to rotate the wheel driving unit (43) (solid line arrow direction in FIG. 1E), a wheel driving tube shaft (47) of the wheel driving unit (43) pushes the lacking part (45) of the first conventional spring member (42) to the opening direction from the spring body of the first conventional spring member (42) to release the frictional force between the first conventional sunshade stopper (41) and the first conventional spring member (42); at the same time, the braking lock jaw (not shown) of the first conventional pick-up member (44) is pushed to rotate; then, the protruding jaw (48) formed on the outer circumferential surface screen sheet fastener (24) of the sunshade rotating shaft (23) rotates the roll (21) of the sunshade rotating shaft (23); when the user stops pulling the ball chain (30) or the rotating string (not shown), a rotational force is acted on the shaft (23) according to the load of the screen sheet (22), eventually this rotational force rotates the first conventional pickup member (44); a brake locking jaw (not shown) of the first conventional pick-up member (44) pushes the spring body of the first conventional spring member (42) in the direction of narrowing (broken line arrow direction in FIG. 1E), the friction force increases between the first conventional sunshades stopper (41) and a the first conventional spring member (42) to stop the rotation of the sunshade rotating shaft (23).
Such a conventional roll blind, a great force for manual driving is exerted to the ball chain (30) or the rotating string (not shown) according to the weight of the screen sheet (22); the Republic of Korea Utility Model Registration No. 20-0434153 and 20-0424234 has disclosed a driving device that have a disadvantage because it requires great force to wind the screen sheet (22) on the roll (21); to solve the drawback, the Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-0669485 and the U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,592 disclosed the roll-blinds. However, those have a disadvantage that the rotational force is limited to enhance for the specific size of given roll (21) and the various weights of the blind fabrics; Also, the Republic of Korea utility model registration No. 20-0439469 disclosed the application of a planetary gear reducer; it requires a long length of the ball chain or the rotating string (not shown) due to the reduction ratio for raising the screen sheet; the operating time and the pulling numbers of the ball chain or the rotating string are increased. It is popularized to the public because of the less pulling force for winding the screen sheet.
This time, unlike the conventional roll-type sunshade, the venetian blind, which is a kind of the conventional slat type of sunshade device is discussed; as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C; a head rail (10) installed on the upper window frame; a plurality of the slats (61) disposed lower side of the head rail (10); one set of slat module (6) consisted of a couple of slat lines through each of the slats; slat driving module (8); a slat sunshade input driving module (90) for driving the slat driving module (8); a slat sunshade cap; a slat type sunshade driving rotation shaft (9) is driven inserted with a plurality of slat driving module (8); the slat driving module (8) consisting of a pulling line (81) for lifting or lowering the plurality of the slats (61) and a slat mounting line control member (62) for adjusting the angle of the plurality of slats (61) by pulling or releasing the slat string and including a sliding spring (not shown).
Further, a slat sunshade input driving module (90) is inserted into one end of the head rail (10); the other end, the slat stopper for sunshade is fitted; as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the weight of slat module (6) is considered for a set of elongated width; the slot mount string is fixed on a slat mounting line control member (62) being consisted of a couple of the sliding spring; the slot mount string balances the slots, simultaneously adjusts the angle of the slats; when the slots are moving up and down, the slots are considering the balance and the stability, at the same time; so that, a couple of the slat pulling strings (81) is arranged one-to-one corresponding to the slat mounting line control member (62); the slat-type sunshade driving shaft (9) installed at one end of the slat sunshade input driving module (90) is manually operated by rotating the ball chain (30) or the rotating string (not shown); eventually, an electric motor (not shown) is used to wind or unwind the slats (61) for selectively shielding or admitting the sunlight; at this moment, a ribbon can be used as the slat pulling strings (81); it is not shown in the figure, but in case of the ribbon used, other kind ribbon type slat drive module is used different from the slat driving module (8) as shown in FIG. 2B, (not shown).
Additionally as shown in FIG. 2D, the slat input driving module (90) for sunshade (hereinafter “second conventional manual driving module”) provides a second conventional sunshade stopper (99) fixed to the case (90a) for inserting a second conventional spring member (98) formed an engaging portion (not shown); a manual pulley (91) having a sun gear at the center and the free gear (92); a wheel driving unit (43) consists of a planetary gear carrier (93) being protruded the spring drive member (94); the slat-type sunshade drive rotation shaft (9) is fitted a coupling sphere power (96), the planetary gear carrier (93) of the wheel driving unit (43) is combined with a second conventional pick-up member (97) forming a protruded braking lock jaw (95); when the user pulls the ball chain (30) or the rotating string (not shown), the wheel driving unit (43) is rotated by the pulling force, a planetary gear carrier (93) of the wheel driving unit (43) pushes the lacking part of the second conventional spring member (98) to the opening direction from the spring body of the second conventional spring member (98) to release the frictional force between the sunshade stopper (99) and the second conventional spring member (98), at the same time, the second conventional pick-up member (97) is rotated, then the slat type sunshade driving shaft (9) is rotated; when the user stops pulling the ball chain (30) or the rotating string (not shown), a rotational force is acted on the slat type sunshade driving shaft (9) according to the load of the slat, eventually this rotational force rotates the second conventional pickup member (97); a brake locking jaw (95) of the second conventional pick-up member (97) pushes the spring body of the second conventional spring member (98) in the direction to narrowing, the friction force increases to stop the rotation of the slat type sunshade driving shaft (9).
At this moment, the force applied to the ball chain or the rotating string (not shown) varies depending on the degree of winding or unwinding the slat that is well known fact to one skilled in the art; additionally, it will describe more in detail, when the slat is winding up being unrolled down to the bottom, the force is needed to release the frictional force between the second conventional sunshade stopper (99) and the second conventional spring member (98); in addition to the lifting force is needed to wind up the slat; the rotational force is needed to continuously rotate the driving wheel as long as the winded distance of the ball chain or the rotating string (not shown); when the slat, which is wound up to the top, is lowering to the bottom, the force is needed to release the frictional forces between the second conventional sunshade stopper (99) and the second conventional spring member (98) and the weight is negatively added to wind down the slat; eventually, it is the principle of rolling down the slat by its weight; Similarly, depending on the rotation of the drive wheel, the length of the ball chain or the rotating string must be supplied (not shown) to repeat the following take-up operation; the length of rotated ball chain or the rotating string varied depending on the diameter of the slat drive module (8), the diameter of driving wheel, the gear ratio; the pulling force is inversely proportional to the gear ratio as the gear ratio is larger; then, the required length of the rotated ball chain or the rotating string is increased; usually, the slat is heavier than the screen sheet, the driving wheel having a planetary gear train is applied; considering the pulling force and length of the adult, the length of the rotated ball chain or the rotating string is produced about 2 times longer than the driving distance of the slat module (6); in this case, the length of rotating distance for driving is exceeded the length of the rotated ball chain or the rotating string (not shown), but the required pulling force is reduced according to the gear ratio.
The conventional slat type sunshade device as well as the conventional roll type sunshades, the force applied to the manually operated ball chain (30) or the rotating string (not shown) is large according to the weight of one set of the slat module (6); due to the large pulling force needed, a planetary reduction gear is adopted; as the reduction ratio three is applied, the user manually wind the longer length of the ball chain or the rotating string (not shown); thus, the user consumes less energy to raise the sunshade device. however, it has a disadvantage to operate the longer tugging time and more tugging number; thus, there is a tendency to utilize an electric motor (not shown) instead of the manual operation.
Nevertheless, the manually operated conventional sunshade has the sunshade rotating shaft (23) and the slat-type sunshade driving rotation shaft (9); it has distinguish described that the static friction force of the spring is controlled for rotating the sunshade rotating shaft (not shown); thus, It has the common merits of the convenient control method and very economical operation; so, the utilization of the planetary gear train is widely popularized to reduce the energy consuming for the manual operation; the main reason is that the manual driving sunshade is durable, convenient and economical, so it is a noticeable fact.
Because of those advantages, the more electric motor operation (not shown) is employed to replace the manual operation; However, it is well known fact to one skilled in the art that each operation still has a merit and demerit; for an example, if an electric manual combined operation is not used to operate the sunshade; in case of the power failure, the electric motor is out of order, or the remote controller is misplaced, the user cannot operate the sunshade; it is very uncomfortable; further, it has a demerit that the motor consumes a lot of standby power, which cause to increase the power cost; thus, the electric/manual combined operation or the manual/motorizing combined sunshade is necessary.
Furthermore, it is not necessarily employing the electric driving system; among the manual driving system, one drives the sunshade by pulling a string or the sunshade is driven by rotating the rotation system coupled to the sunshade rotating shaft; it is necessary to be flexible for driving the sunshade with lighter pulling force by varying the gear ratio.
Further, as shown in FIG. 1E, in order to manually drive the sunshade to the both directions, continuously, it is necessary to have a ring shape (‘U’ shape as viewed only lower half) for the driving string (not shown); there is not a few accident happened the injury or death annually that a neck or other body parts of the infant is caught by the ‘U’ shaped driving string (not shown).
That is, as shown in FIG. 1A, the roll blind has a transmitting unit of the pulling force for winding/unwinding operations as the ball chain (30) or the rotating string (not shown); the loop has formed the same structure of the ‘U’ shape; the length of the loop matches to the unwounded length of the screen sheet, and hanged loosely in the longitudinal direction to the bottom; in case of the ball chain (30), a plurality of the identical sphere-shaped plastic balls (32) is arranged on a solid string (31) with constant intervals, and mounted firmly on the groove of the driving wheel for properly transmitting the pulling force by considering the lifting load of the screen sheet while it is winding; the loop is formed the ‘U’ shape by bonding the both ends of the string; the rotating string (not shown) is also formed the ‘U’ shape of the loop by bonding both ends of the string; it is applied to the most of roll blinds because of the robustness and inexpensive; However, the ‘U’ shaped loop having a long length is installed and hanged loosely to the lower position; so, it is easily accessible to the children for playing with the string, which is caused a fatal accident and issued the public problem; Therefor, many countries have issued a bill for standard safety regulation to avoid the accidents.
On the other hand, although it is not shown, the industry has attempted various improvements to solve the above-mentioned public problem of the ‘U’ shaped loop of the ball chain or the rotation line; a linear-type loop formed a stopper of the ball chain or the rotating string is used; and a spring return device is added to return by the reserve force; the ball chain or the rotating string is repeatedly supplied to drive instead of the ‘U’ shaped loop; a single line or the separated double line is exposed to the outside; the loop is easily separated when a predetermined force is loaded to the ‘U’ shaped loop of the ball chain or the rotation line; the ball chain or the rotating string is installed on the limited height to avoid the reach of the children's hand; the bottom end of the ‘U’ shaped loop of the ball chain or the rotating string is fixed, but not pinch the children's head; there are various attempts to solve the public problems raised by the ‘U’ shaped loop of the ball chain or the rotation line.
However, the industry's efforts are that a separating method of the loop when a predetermined force applies to the ‘U’ shaped loop of the ball chain or the rotating string, and the limited height of the loop installation to avoid reach of the children's hand; the industry's efforts are in fact makeshift.
On the other hand, in order to solve the above mentioned problems, the second conventional manual sunshade apparatus adopts the planetary reduction gear to reduce the applied force to the ball chain (30) and the rotating string (not shown) for manual operation by considering the weight of the slat and the hoisting load of the screen sheet; the prolonged length of the ball chain (30) or the rotating string (not shown) as much as the gear reduction ratio is manually wound; it needs less power to drive by the user, but there are drawbacks that the tugging number and operating time are increased; thus, there is a tendency to adopt the electric motor (not shown) instead of the manual operation; in addition, there is a trend to adopt the electric operation only in the new product of the sunshade for the sake of the children's safety; and it's dissemination is also increased.
Nevertheless, the conventional manual driving system is still needed to control the static frictional power; it is required the human power in the way of convenience and economic, except the children's safety; the conventional manual driving sunshade system has very economical and convenient way to control the traction of the spring, which is the lower cost and durable, so it is the economical point of fact.
The conventional electric driving sunshade system as well as the manual driving sunshade system cannot be recycled the conventional manual driving sunshade; It is well known fact to one skilled in the art that the technology has recognized to simply replace the conventional manual driving system; the main reason is that the structure of the conventional manual driving sunshade system cannot simply and easily remove or mount the motor, while it is maintaining the function; because of these reason, the user cannot operate the sunshade system until the motor repair; it is very uncomfortable, and caused the customer large complaints; it is a big troublesome to those of ordinary skill in the art; it is impossible to operate the sunshade, even if the broken motor is removed; the sunshade can operate without burdensome of the reassembly the conventional manual sunshade drive unit; it is necessary to simply operate the sunshade driving system manually, even if the motor is separated from the driving system; when the manual driving sunshade is converted to the electric driving sunshade, the motor is simply mounted without difficulty; most of the time, it is not possible to simply add the motor or impossible to both manually removed from the conventional shade driving device, most made of the plastic, is used, after using it, most We needed to be improved in terms of cost and environmental issues, so throw away after a conventional drive system manually removed from the sunshades are using; most of the conventional sunshade manual driving device produced with the plastic is removed from the used eaves and discarded; so it is necessary to improve in terms of cost and environmental issues.
Furthermore, it would not be necessarily the electric driving system; among the manual driving system, the sunshade system is driven by pulling string or driven the rotating body coupled to the sunshade rotating shaft, or driven the sunshade system with the lighter pulling force by varying the gear ratio.
On the other hand, a planetary gear as shown in FIG. 3, generally a planetary gear train (Planetary Gear Trains or Epicyclical Gear Trains, referring to 100 of FIG. 3), which is consisted of a sun gear (Sun Gear, 130), a ring gear (110), and a free gear (92), and arranged concentrically; in the case of the planetary gear train having same transmission ratio, it has the compact volume, concentric input and output, and the high efficiency of the power transmission comparing with the other principle of the gear train; because of the high efficiency, it can be applied where requires the small, compact and lightweight, such as an aircraft, automobile, office equipment and machine tools, which are widely used; the structure is consisted of a ring gear (110) as an internal contact gear at outer side, the internal gear meshed with the free gear (92), those are supported by the planetary gear carrier (93), the sun gear (130) meshed with the free gear (92) from the inner side arranged on the concentric; The transmitting load is dispersed due to using a plurality of the free gears (92); so, it can be reduced the overall size; if the free gear (92) is arranged symmetry, the radial load of the free gears (92) is offset each other; thus, it has a merit to consider the axial load only when the bearing and frame are designed; it is easy to process, small contacting linear velocity, the friction loss reduced due to the dispersion of the transmitting load, the noise diminished, and the higher efficiency.
For this reason, the application of the planetary gears is versatile; for example, it is applied to the reduction motor, accelerating gearbox, which is attached to the various types of power driving unit to drive the output shaft that is a well-known fact; Referring to a more specific operation relationship, the ring gear (110) is stopped and the planetary gear carrier (93), the free gear (92) and the sun gear (130), which of all are freely rotatable state, the sun gear (130) is driven by the input rotating shaft (not shown); when those free gear (92) are rotated, the planetary gear carrier member (93) which is supporting the free gears reduced the rotation speed, then, the output rotating shaft coupled to the planetary gear carrier (93) is rotatable state; it is possible that the input rotating shaft drives the planetary gear carrier (93) for increasing speed.
Further, at this time, the planetary gear carrier (93) is fixed, the ring gear (110), the free gear (92) and the sun gear (130), all of them are in free rotatable state, and rotating the sun gear (130) also by using the input rotating shaft (not shown), the free gear (92) are rotated, the planetary gear carrier (93) being supported those members is fixed, then the ring gear (110) will be rotated; another output rotating shaft (not shown) coupled to the ring gear (110) can be reduced the rotational speed; the ring gear (110), the free gear (92), the planetary gear carrier (93) all of them are freely rotatable state, and the sun gear (130) is fixed, and the planetary gear carrier (93) is driven by the input rotating shaft (not shown), the speed of the ring gear (110) can be reduced.
additionally, the planetary gear carrier (93) is fixed, the ring gear (110), a free gear (92), the sun gear (130), all of them are freely rotatable state, the input rotating shaft (not shown) is driving the ring gear (110); those gear meshed with the free gears (92), the planetary gear carrier (93), which is supporting those gears is fixed; thereby, the sun gear (130) accelerates rotational speed; the sun gear (130) is fixed, then the input rotating shaft (not shown) drives the ring gear (110), it is possible to accelerate the rotational speed of the planetary gear carrier (93).
Further, the free gear (92) is in fixed a state, the sun gear (130) and the ring gear (110) are driven by the input rotating shaft at same time, then it is possible to rotate the planetary gear carrier (93): additionally, it is possible to arrange the gear train of various combinations with high efficiency. It is well known fact to one skilled in the art; it has applied to drive the sunshade.
However, in the conventional sunshade driving system being used the planetary gear train utilizes only the limited advantage of the reduction ratio and the transmitting load; it is not utilized the members of the planetary gear train to be selectively driven in the fixing state or the free rotating state through the input rotating shaft or the output rotating shaft.